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"Never under any condition should this nation look at an immigrant as primarily a labor unit. He should always be looked at primarily as a future citizen."-Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

"It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people."-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Isaona i tumungo’ ya ha sedi, ki ayo i mismo umisagui hao. Greater is the fault of he who allows the injustice upon himself. "-Chamorro proverb

"There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves." -Jose Rizal

"I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights." -Bishop Desmond Tutu

Disclaimer: This is not a legal blog. No opinion or statement should be perceived as legal advice. All posts are the opinion of the author or contributors who are expressing their First Amendment Rights.

Three CNMI residents were arrested for counterfeiting U.S. currency. Nestor Camacho Taitano, Lucas Taitano Manglona, and Kisha Lyn Masga King were indicted Thursday. From the Saipan Trubune:

Taitano and King were charged with one count of conspiracy to utter counterfeit obligations and securities, and three counts of counterfeiting. Taitano and Manglona were charged with one count of conspiracy to utter counterfeit obligations and securities, and one count of counterfeiting.

The three were taken to the U.S. District Court for the NMI yesterday afternoon for a hearing. They pleaded not guilty.

A visiting U.S. Secret Service special agent has noted a significant increase in the amount of counterfeit U.S. currency being circulated on Saipan in the last three months.

In an interview with Saipan Tribune, special agent Virgil D. “Gus” Reichle corroborated Crime Stoppers Program coordinator Jason Tarkong's statement that these fake dollar bills are now being made locally.

“We believe these fake bills are made here on Saipan. But as far as hard proof, we don't have it right now,” Reichle said.

The agent stated that the counterfeiters started with lower denomination bills and then graduated to $50 and $100 bills. Saipan blog, Saipan, Rota, Tinian, Saipan crime, Northern Mariana Islands, CNMIA February 12, 2009 Saipan Tribune story reported that the people dealing with methamphetamine or “ice” are the same people believed to be behind the fake money circulating on the islands. In January Lucas Taitano Manglona was arrested for purchasing cigarettes and a lighter with a fake $50 bill.

Counterfeit Money has been a problem in the CNMI for a while. See these stories: